The 60s Were Simpler Times
The 60s were a time of tremendous change. The moon landings, the Kennedy assassination, civil rights marches – it all happened so quickly and dramatically. And now we’re in what people in the 60s called “the future”. It’s interesting if nothing else. Here’s a list of 20 things you couldn’t do in the 60s, but no-one thinks twice about now.
Attend a Class Without Being in a Classroom
Education in the 60s was very different to how it is now. Not only are blackboards no longer a thing, the entire system of learning has changed. You can take classes via Zoom without ever leaving the comfort of your house. Oh… and teachers aren’t allowed to hit students anymore, either.
Watch a Rocket Launch From a Coffee Shop
Okay, you did technically have the option to watch a rocket launch in the 60s, but it meant crowding around a black-and-white TV where the image was not the best. Now, you can stream space missions on your phone from anywhere you like, and it’s all in HD.
Video Call
Back in the 60s, talking face-to-face with someone thousands of miles away was pure science fiction – think the sort of thing they’d do on Star Trek. But today, we Zoom with coworkers and FaceTime with grandkids without a second thought.
Stream Content on Demand
In the 60s, if you missed your favorite show on TV, tough luck - you had to wait for a rerun. Or maybe you wanted to watch a movie? You had to drive to the theater and watch it there. And the concept of “binge-watching” was totally alien. No-one could have imagined having a whole TV and movie library in the living room.
Carry a Computer in Your Pocket
The idea that you'd one day carry a device smaller than your hand that could call people, send messages, play music, take pictures, and browse the web? Not a chance in the 60s. We had telephones and cameras or course, but that was about it. It’s mind-boggling how smartphones are just part of life now.
Order Groceries From Your Couch
You could order takeout from your home phone in the 60s if you really wanted to, but if you wanted groceries you had to get in your car and go to the store. It was a chore that was just part of day-to-day life. But now, you can pick up a laptop and order groceries from anywhere in your house.
Remote Work in Your Pajamas
Back in the 60s, the idea of remote work was a distant dream. You wore a suit to go to work and you certainly couldn’t do it from your bedroom. But the arrival of programs like Zoom, not to mention the COVID-19 pandemic, changed all that. Now many people work remotely.
Pause and Rewind Live TV
In the 60s, TV was live, and if you missed a scene (maybe you were distracted by a sibling) you were out of luck. No pause button, no rewinding. Well, streaming services changed all that. You can even pause TV if you want to go to the toilet!
Use GPS To Navigate
Once upon a time, getting lost while driving was, in a way, part of the journey. But now we have GPS to prevent that. GPS tells you exactly where to turn, when traffic’s bad, and even where the nearest gas station is.
Take Hundreds of Photos Instantly
Kids today can’t even imagine a world without selfies, but there was one. In the 60s, you snapped photos with old clunky film cameras, crossed your fingers that you didn’t blink, and waited days to get them developed. Nothing was instant back then.
Listen to Any Song, Anytime
There were obviously ways of playing your favorite music in the ‘60s, but it was nothing like today. If you wanted to hear your favorite song, you had to own the record. Now, with streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music, you can access millions of songs instantly. It’s mind-blowing for music lovers.
Post Your Life Online
Back in the 60s, you kept in touch with family via letter or phone call, you didn’t post your entire life online so that they – along with complete strangers – could see it. Those of us who grew up in the 60s think it’s a little weird posting pictures of your children online.
Talk to a Voice Assistant
Telling a machine to play music or turn on the lights would’ve sounded like a Jetsons episode in the 60s, but it happened. Today, we casually say “Hey Siri” or “Alexa, what’s the weather?” and get real answers straight away.
Share Videos Instantly
Home movies in the 60s involved bulky film cameras and very careful planning. Editing was nearly impossible for the average person to do, because they just didn’t have the equipment or know-how. But now? We shoot HD video on our phones, edit it in minutes, and upload it to YouTube or TikTok for the whole world to see.
Look Anything up in Seconds
Back in the 60s, if you wanted to learn something, you went to the library or cracked open a dusty old encyclopedia. Today, Google and AI gives you answers in seconds - on your phone, your computer, even on your wrist if you own a smartwatch.
Pay Without Cash
Everyone paid with cash or checks in the 60s, and they were in no way prepared for what happened next. Cash faded away and now people use cards to pay for everything. We’ve become a cashless society – for better or for worse.
Travel the World Cheaply
Okay, so going on holiday will still set you back, but it’s nothing like the expenses of going abroad in the 60s. Back then, air travel was something you did maybe once or twice in a lifetime. Now, with the rise of budget airlines, people can travel the world much more cheaply.
Drink Exotic Coffees
In the 60s you pretty much had only two coffee options: black or white. Now, you can walk into a shop and order “a venti iced oat milk caramel macchiato with light foam and two pumps of sugar-free vanilla.” It’s heaven for coffee lovers.
Track Your Health With a Watch
In the 60s, health tracking was something done by your family doctor. Not anymore. Now, smartwatches count your steps, monitor your heart rate, analyze your sleep, and even alert you to irregular heart rhythms. It’s really quite amazing when you think about it.
Date Through an App
There were many ways to meet someone in the 60s: you went to a dance, you joined a club, you got set up by friends. But these days there’s one more: use a dating app. You can even filter out people to make sure you go on a date with someone compatible.
